Over the Moon by Jean Ure Page B

physically challenged. What Dad in his non pc way would call crippled, but that is such a hateful word. It was how I’d thought of Simon when I’d first seen him; but now that I’d got to know him, and especially now we’d both
bared our souls
– well, my eyes and his leg! – I just thought of him as Simon, who happened to walk with a limp.
    It was still a shame, cos actually he was really quite attractive, I could really have gone for him. I mean, if I hadn’t gone for Matt first. Anyone would have gone for Matt first! Like when me and Hattie were together, boys always went for me first. It was just a fact of life, I wasn’t claiming any credit for it.
    And then it occurred to me … maybe Simon would make a good partner for Hattie on Founder’s Day? If she hadn’t already got one, that is. I’d promised to look out for her, but what with my eyes swelling up and Mum dropping her bombshell, I’d forgotten all about it. Hattie herself hadn’t mentioned it, so I assumed she was still partnerless. Not that you
had
to have a partner, but most everybody did. Poor old Hat! It would be horribleif she was the only person on her own. And it wouldn’t really matter that Simon couldn’t dance, cos Hattie isn’t that much of a dancer. She wouldn’t mind. They could sit and talk together. They’d get on really well!
    I was so pleased to have solved the problem, I thought that I would tell Hattie the very next day, when I went back to school.
    Matt rang that evening. He was all jokey, so I was all jokey too. He said, “My spy tells me you’re fit to be seen again?”
    I said, “Yup! I can go out without frightening people.”
    I wasn’t really feeling jokey. Really I would have liked to ask him who he had planned on going to Founder’s Day with, if not me. But I wasn’t quite brave enough, so we just fooled around a bit and Matt said it was a pity he hadn’t discovered sooner that I didn’t look like a pickled walnut any more cos then we could have met up, maybe, at the weekend.
    “Unfortunately it’s too late, now, I’ve gone and arranged something else.”
    Still being all jokey I said, “I hope it’s not anything too exciting!”
    “How could it be exciting,” said Matt, “if you’re not there?”
    Hopefully I said, “I
could
be there.”
    “I wish,” said Matt.
    He never did tell me what he was doing. He said we would speak again after the weekend and then rang off, leaving me feeling vaguely dissatisfied. That night I wrote in my diary for the first time in weeks.
    Matt called. Simon has told him I am back to normal and will be all right for Founder’s Day. Next week! Matt said, “Talk about leaving things till the last minute.” He said, “I was getting a bit worried, there. I didn’t fancy going with a pickled walnut!” I guess I should be grateful that he has waited for me. A boy like Matt, he could have any girl he wanted.
    I am quite looking forward to it, though somehow not as much as Ithought I would be. I don’t know why. I’m sure it will be fun when we get there.
    Tomorrow I am going back to school. I am still a bit self-conscious, even though Simon has assured me I don’t look pickled any more, and I know he wouldn’t lie, not even to be kind. He is very trustworthy. Thank heavens Hattie is the only person who knows why I’ve been away. I told her to tell everyone I had the flu, otherwise they would all be peering at me. I couldn’t take that!
    Next morning I met up with Simon at the station and we travelled in together. He said, “How are you feeling?” I said, “Nervous!”
    “No need,” said Simon. “You look great!”
    I thought again how nice he was, and what a comfort. Just for a moment I almost wished I were going to Founder’s Day with him instead of with Matt, but the moment passed. Matt might not be as nice and he certainly wasn’t as comforting, but he was utterlyand totally the most gorgeous boy I had ever been out with. Tanya’s eyes, when she saw me